San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1887-02-28

la Dick deity knocked off the top of
| the bottle, and succeeded in pouring
some mouthfuls of the generous cordial
between poor cabby's half-frozen lips.
The effect was magical. and after a
repetition of the experiment the man
was able to raise his shoulders some
what, and to declare that after all he
fancied he was more stunned perhaps
| than hurt. Then Dick poured a few
drops of brandy in his own hand, and
| gently chafed the sufferers brow, be-
hind his ears, the nape of his neck, I'M
til cabby declared generous glow per-
meated his whole frame, and be felt as
though he might presently be able to
stagger to his feet.
But what then? Dick could not fail
| to ask himself despairingly, when he too
had fortified his inner man by mouth
full from the invaluable bottle. A few
moments later when poor Jehu was so
far restored as to raise the upper part
| of his body entirely, and draw himself
up into sitting posture, Dick confid-
ed to his ear the real terrors of the stu
alton, preparatory to their making a
united effort to struggle up the bank
in order that the injured man might
drag himself, if possible as far as the
shelter of the cab; for the severity of
the night air was terrible. raw cutting
wind from the east chilling the very
marrow of their bones, and the laden
snow clouds hanging low, threatening
to disgorge their fieecy treasures at any
moment.
Even should they succeed in making
their way in safety to the cab Though
Dick was more than doubtful whether
his companion would find himself able
70 ore I,.,ha l;oIAlo,nl la
ent resting-place, much less capable of
crawling up the ditch side, and round
by the gate as Dick had donel, there
would be nothing for it but to creep in
side, and, wrapped in the bear-skin,
resign themselves to spend the long in
terminable hours of the advancing
night in this terrible coign of vantage.
The window was smashed, 50 there
would be no protection against the
severity of the elements, and If the
snow should recommence to fall with
anything of its recent fury there could
be little doubt that the oyerthrown
hanson would be completely buried be-
fore morning, and its hapless occupants
almost frozen to death.
AS these reflections crossed each
mans mind-it was hardly necessary to
translate the thoughts of either into
words, as simultaneously they realized
the real terrors of the situatiOn-they
gaZed silent and awe-stricken each into
the others face, rendered additionally
weird and pallid by the sickly glow cast
by the carriage lamp supported in the
snow between them, and shedding a
pale luminosity upon the white tract
Immediately surrounding the melan-
choly little group.
Was it fancy. or could it be that a
faint echo of distant Christmas bells at
that solemn moment came waited DER
the snowy waste, reminding those two
unfOrtunates of the homely jOys-so
near, and yet, alas! so far-frOm
which cruel fate had cut them off re-
mOrselesSly in so strange and unfOre-
seen fashion?
Neither spoke the thought just then
uppermOst in his mind, but it seemed
to Dick, and not less to honest Jim
Browne, that if it should please Provi-
dence after all to rescue them from
their present perilOus position, and
spare them in health, strength and hap
piness to enjoy half a hundred Christ
mas Ewes, yet never to their dying day
might either of the twain forget, as the
annual festival required, the agonized
sensations of this moment, when each
gaZed blankly into the others face, and
mOmentarily held his breath that he
might catch the far-off echo of those
distant village chimes, telling of peace
and tranquil joys in which, each man
whispered to himself, he might pos
sibly be participation nevermOre.
Courage, cabby, courage!" Dick
stoutly urged after that brief pause;
"here, take another pull from the bot
on1 tha,, UNI, ,.aoII,v
struggle toward final move. feel my
do yours feel?''
They've not felt, sir, for long
enough" returned the man with an in
voluntary groan; they're stiff and
dead like-I feels paralyzed fra tn hips
downwards! Oh, Lord' he mOaned
again as he essayed to move, Lord,
hev' and keep us wheer we are, fur Use
blessed if | can stirl Sir, doant Other
about VII me, but just push ahead if
you see your way clear, an leave me to
my fate, for Pm dashed if can move a
peg. If you'd be so kind as promise to
see my miSsus now, an tn little weans
at home you'll find out all particulars
through tn number on the cab, an
just push for'ard, VII no consarn on my
account, why /"
Don't talk rot, man alivel" retorted
Dick brusquely, but more deeply moved
than he would have just then cared to
betray; ''in the first place, l am power
less to leave you if would, and in the
second, / should prefer to die beside you
believe, rather than desert you in the
cOwardly fashion you propose. How
ever, now that points decided, permit
me to suggest it would be infinitely
more to the purpose if you would pull
yourself together for final effort, and
see if we cannot manage to raise you to
your feet; though even then l hardly
see"
But Dicks elOquence was summary
arrested at this juncture; the man had,
indeed, struggled upwards as he spoke,
raising himself painfully on his elbows,
only, however, to give vent to an omi-
nous groan as his head fell backwards,
and he slipped heavily into his original
position, insensible on that perilOus bed
of snow.
Great Heaven!" escaped CarliSle's
lips almost like wall, There is moth
ing for it now but to resign oneself to
the worst; all hope is over. l see not
from what quarter help can GOMEZ
But even as he thus sOlilOguised, he
once more seized the bottle, and bent
anxiously over his msensible compan-
ion.
CHAPTER v.
TO THE RESCUED